The ThunderBlogs

An afternoon in Queen Elizabeth Park accompanied by the leftovers of summer. Atop this particular hill: a stunning view of downtown Vancouver, Seasons in the Park and the Bloedel Conservatory.

The conservatory is a curious building.  Think Bio-Dome, circa 1995.  Whatever happened to Pauly Shore?

A West Coast Sightseeing bus unloads a bus full of camera-toting seniors.  Pants and light jackets.  Sunglasses.  A tourist with a camcorder trips over his own feet: moment captured with hilarity.

Aaron Jasper, once a tour bus operator himself, stands outside the Conservatory talking to a CTV cameraman.  Jasper is chairman of the Vancouver Park Board, which voted unanimously Monday to keep the conservatory open.

Conservatory stays.  Petting zoo goes.  That’s the story.

The conservatory will remain open with help from the Friends of Bloedel Association and the VanDusen Botanical Garden Association.  The Vancouver icon first opened in 1969.

Mavis Hnidy is happy with the park board’s decision last night.  She has been a cashier at the conservatory for six years and is one of the founding members of the Friends association.  She greeted Jasper with excitement as he entered the conservatory this afternoon.  “Thank you, thank you,” she said as she shook his hand.

The conservatory seems like a good place to take your children, if you have any.  It’s probably a good place for a cheap date as well.

Admission:

Adult (19-64)                     $5.35

Senior (65+)                       $3.75

Youth (13-18)                     $3.75

Child (6-12)                         $2.70

Pre-Schooler (under 6)   FREE

Humid, lush and bright – arthritics beware.  The geodesic dome is tightly packed with greenery from around the world.  The dense arrangement is littered with signs indicating the name and origin of the plants:

Venus Fly Trap (North/South Carolina), Lollipop Plant (Peru), Rattlesnake Plant (Brazil).

A Bird Watcher’s Check List reminds visitors that botanists and biologists are both welcome here.  The dome is home to more than 100 species of birds.  There are also a number of Koi scattered throughout the ponds.

Excerpts from the conservatory guestbook read:

“Excellent garden”          “I eat bugs”          “I liked the birds”

While the conservatory is a nice place to visit, it does show signs of neglect.  The guest shop is a strange arrangement of watering globes, embroidery patches and batteries.  The Self Guided Tour pamphlet is lacklustre at best.  Promotion outside the conservatory seems non-existent.

As news of the conservatory facelift spreads, visitors to the hilltop landmark will likely increase.  And maybe, just maybe, the Friends-VanDusen partnership will offer a free screening of Bio-Dome?